The entire earth is gradually heating up because of the impact of greenhouse gases. And the outcome? climate change and Global warming.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) says that greenhouse gasses are gasses that can hold heat in the earth’s atmosphere. These gasses are created by human activities and they occur naturally too.
Your impact on the environment or carbon footprint measures the greenhouse gases that you’ve created. As you drive around and burn gas in your car, it produces carbon dioxide one of the key greenhouse gases. But driving is not the only way of producing greenhouse gases.
When you’re moving your home, chances are you’ll be involved in some driving and sometimes you may drive for several hours to your new home. You’ll burn up some fuel as you drive and it can significantly increase your carbon footprint.
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your car on the road. Here are these simple things you can do to reduce global warming as you cut your carbon footprint while driving:
Maintain Your Car Properly!
Ensuring that your car is functioning appropriately is the right foot forward towards reducing its fuel consumption.
If your car is not functioning smoothly, it will require more effort to run it and hence more fuel to move it. Make sure your car is in good condition before you set out, especially for a long-distance drive.
Consider these car maintenance tips:
- Inspect your tire pressure. Deflated tires require more fuel to move, so ensure your tires have the appropriate amount of air in them. Check the owner’s manual for your car. It should indicate the appropriate air pressure.
- Inspect and change your car oil constantly. Don’t forget to change it as often as its type of oil requires. For instance, if you have 4000 miles oil, you should change it every 4000 miles. Before a long trip, ensure you aren’t low on oil. Oil ensures your engine stays lubricated and functions with less resistance.
- Inspect your oil filter to see if it requires replacement. Replace the oil filter if it’s dirty or clogged. Also, request a car check-up from an auto mechanic. Your auto mechanic will check more things than is listed here and will let you know if any car parts require replacement or special maintenance.
Green Driving Tips
Apart from properly maintaining your car, there are several other things you can do to reduce how your car burns gas.
Maintain a constant speed within the speed limit. The less frequently you accelerate the less fuel you’ll burn. It’s better to maintain a lower speed consistently than to speed up and slow down every so often.
It may seem hard if you’re hauling household items to your new home, but cutting excess weight enhances fuel efficiency.
Use the air-conditioning cautiously. If the weather is very hot and you intend to cool down, follow these tips:
If you’re traveling more than 45mph use the air condition. But if you’re driving under 45mph then roll down your window to let in fresh air. When you have your windows down while driving at over 45mph, it creates drag on your car and causes it to burn more fuel.
Also, try to combine short errands into one long trip in order to save fuel. Have a road map, and choose a direct route with fewer stops. Several stops at traffic lights or stop signs while on the road burn more fuel. Don’t just use these tips while you’re having a long-distance move. The key is for you to consider these tips whenever you’re on the road so you can produce less carbon footprint for a safer environment.
But just before you set out on the road, you’ll have to make sure the place you’ve called home is in a good condition as you’re moving out. Here is a Slide show of 8 eight things you should do before moving out.
